Social Sciences

Social Sciences Title

Sport

Are you interested in a career in sport? Would you like to work towards promoting physical health in the community or teach and coach outdoor activities? Or maybe you aspire to work with Olympians in analysing technique and tactics? Without doubt, a Sports degree can offer you the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and expertise that will prepare you for an exciting and busy career.

In studying part of your course through the medium of Welsh, you will develop the ability to deal with Sport in both languages, that will be very useful in applying for jobs in a very competitive market. With the increasing demand for Welsh language skills in both the public and private sector in Wales (especially in coaching, teaching, scientific support and promotion) your skills will be advantageous to employers in those areas.

A number of students graduating in Sport go on to careers not only as coaches or in health promotion and management, but also to other areas where the ability to use Welsh is invaluable, including physiology, science, psychology, education and journalism.

Law

A law degree provides a foothold into many areas, not just the legal profession. It can lead to running a business, management, personnel, local or central government, the police and journalism.

If a career in law does appeal to you, you can go on to specialise in a particular area such as family law, criminal law and internet law. The demand for lawyers who understand Wales and the language is increasing due to the fact that the Welsh Government have more powers and the Welsh Language Measure provides further rights for Welsh speakers. After graduating you can join a law firm, large or small, and a career as a solicitor will enable you to work in any type of area – rural or urban. You may also, in time, choose to establish your own law firm.

There has been an exciting growth in the number of Welsh language modules available in Law. If you study these you will have the opportunity to improve your language skills in order to express yourself in both languages. The primary task of a legal mind is to make sense of the complexities of society and its people. In order to reflect today’s dynamic society, the Law modules at the universities change frequently. Some examples of Welsh language modules include Business Law, Europe, human rights and social policy.

It is an exciting time in Wales, and Manon George – who is conducting research into devolution Law in the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University – is witness to this as it is an area that is constantly changing, and one that will affect everyone in Wales. As a Welsh medium lecturer in Law, the skills that Manon has to enable her to work in both languages are attractive to her employers.

Criminology and Policing Studies

Studying Criminology opens the door to diverse career options. It will encourage you to think critically and independently and will give you the opportunity to develop skills in order to analyse and understand our varied society. Criminology combines intellectual and practical elements.

Studying Welsh medium Criminology modules will ensure that you not only get to grips with the complexities of society in Wales but will also be able to provide services to future employers in both languages. During the course you will gain practical experience, and as the probation service in Wales becomes more distinctively Welsh (with increasing differences between it and the probation service in England) there will be a demand for students who recognise the needs of society in Wales. You will also combine your studies on the Welsh context with international criminology; you will have an opportunity to look at situations abroad that will prepare you for work outside the UK if you so wish.

Criminology includes elements from other disciplines such as Law, Social Sciences and Police Science, and similarly it is possible to study Criminology modules within these subjects.

In studying Welsh medium modules in a degree course or a joint degree in Criminology, you will be qualified to apply for jobs in a variety of areas:

Social Science and Social Policy

If you’re interested in the problems and challenges of society (whether this is dealing with offenders, developing health policy, childcare, housing policy or language schemes), Social Science and Social Policy is the course for you.

In Wales, there is a demand for people who can tackle the problems of society. Studying a Social Science degree or modules will open your eyes to the society we belong to and ways that we can further develop it. As part of the course, you will explore policy related to the welfare system, health promotion, housing as well as the justice system. You will also have valuable and challenging experiences in this area of work with employers such as the Government, Police and the voluntary sector.

The National Assembly for Wales delivers unique Health and Social Policy for Wales and there is an increasing emphasis on rights for Welsh speakers. This means that there is a demand for employees who understand Welsh society and can work bilingually.

Gaining a degree in Social Science and Social Policy will allow you to work in a variety of fields, including social care, local government, Welsh Government, the Police and the legal system, the health service and older people’s care, education and childcare, youth work as well as developments in terms of the Welsh language.

Politics

Do you want to be a politician, or do you want to present the counter-argument? Are you keen to learn more about the political landscape in Wales and the rest of the world? If so, politics is the perfect degree for you: it will allow you to build a broad understanding of global power.

As power moves from Westminster to the Assembly, there is demand for people who understand Wales to work in companies, organisations, charities and the media. A degree in Politics shows employers that you can analyse, understand and see many sides to an argument. You’ll be introduced to a wide range of ideas and new political concepts that will broaden your horizons. By studying Welsh medium modules on Wales and the world, you’ll be trained to think and write in Welsh in a purposeful and incisive way. You’ll graduate with the ability to handle political issues in both Welsh and English, which will be invaluable when you apply for jobs.

During the course, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake work experience; that could include a period with a politician, a campaigning organisation, or even the Government in Cardiff, London or Brussels. That will allow you to experience the daily excitement of politics in Wales and beyond.

Politics graduates work in many different fields, e.g. political party research, lobbying for companies or organisations, policy development for campaigning organisations or charities, journalism, the civil service and education.

Philosophy

Do you like to analyse things and ask questions? Do you enjoy trying to make sense of different elements, e.g. religion, society and human nature? If you want to tackle difficult issues and learn how to understand, interpret and develop all sorts of arguments, Philosophy is the subject for you.

The main essence of Philosophy is getting to grips with understanding and critically evaluating the reasons and assumptions that underpin our daily ideas. In developing this skill, you will also learn how to deal with arguments and communicate them articulately and clearly, which will be of great benefit to you in the world of work. In an increasingly competitive professional world, the ability to reason, analyse and think astutely will put you one step ahead of the competition for any job. In addition, the ability to discuss and work through the medium of Welsh will be another string to your bow.

Studying Philosophy can prepare you for a number of career paths, be it journalism; the media; film and television; the civil service; law; advertising; marketing; management; teaching and further research, or even a career in industry.

Business Studies

Are you interested in business? Do you want to set up your own business? Or do you want a career working for companies in a wide variety areas, from marketing and selling to human resources and financial firms?

Studying Business through the medium of Welsh offers all kinds of benefits. In the private and public sectors in Wales, the need for Welsh language skills is increasing, especially in marketing, human resources and management where there is more and more demand for businesses to provide services through the medium of Welsh. By studying part of your course in Welsh, you will learn how to handle the subject in both languages, which will be a great asset to you when applying for jobs. You will also be prepared for the world of work by learning a number of other skills too, e.g. the ability to communicate, to work in a team, as well as problem-solving skills. You will also have the opportunity to meet a number of businesspeople and to undertake work experience.

There are many careers open to Business graduates, including marketing; events management; human resource management; tourism management; management of hotels and shops; the civil service; local government; accounting, or even setting up a business.

Business and Management courses can be studied through the medium of Welsh at several universities in Wales. Bangor, South Wales, Trinity Saint David and Cardiff Metropolitan universities all offer at least 40 credits in Welsh in each university year, while some provision is also available at other universities.